120 likes | 326 Views
A Rapture & A Reign?. 1 Thess. 4:15-18. The Rapture. Pre-tribulation – caught up before the seven years of tribulation Post-tribulation – caught up after the seven years tribulation Mid-tribulation – caught up after 3 ½ years of tribulation. Pre-tribulation Theory.
E N D
A Rapture & A Reign? 1 Thess. 4:15-18
The Rapture Pre-tribulation – caught up before the seven years of tribulation Post-tribulation – caught up after the seven years tribulation Mid-tribulation – caught up after 3 ½ years of tribulation
Pre-tribulation Theory The last seven years before the second advent of Christ…A covenant of protection for Israel to re-establish animal sacrifices…In the middle of the seven years, the covenant is broken…the Antichrist is revealed… 3 ½ years of great tribulation…the kingdom established for 1,000 years.
Where Did It Originate? Evangelist John L. Bray (Baptist, Lakeland, Fl.) had written that Emmanuel Lacunza, a Jesuit Catholic priest was the first to teach it, in 1812. Lacunza taught there would be a period of 45 days of judgments on earth after the Rapture and before Christ comes on down to earth. Bray offered $500 to anyone who would find an earlier date…Published 114,273 booklets making the offer.
He Paid Mark Langley In Jan., 1995, Langley (Faith Baptist Church, Leighton, Al.) showed him a book where Morgan Edwards had taught the tribulation theory in 1788. Edwards taught two resurrections, separated by at least 1,000 years…Antichrist would be the last Pope in power…the lake of fire and brimstone was on the moon…the Millennium would begin in 1996, 3 ½ years after the Rapture.
Morgan Edwards Came from England to Baptist church in Philadelphia, Pa, May 23, 1761. In 1788, he wrote his predictions. Bray wrote the tract: to show how another date-setting dispensationalist was wrong… It is mighty embarrassing to me as a Baptist to learn that now I cannot trace this teaching to anyone further back than a BAPTIST leader, and here in America at that! Morgan Edwards and the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Teaching (1788), Bray.
Jesus Is Not Coming To restore the Jews to Palestine, Josh. 21:43-45 To Reign on David’s throne, Acts 2:29-31 To establish His kingdom, Mk. 9:1; Jn. 3:3-5; Col. 1:13 To Rapture the saved for seven years before the establishment of the kingdom, 1 Thess. 4:15-18
The Misterious Rapture “At Rapture this car will be without a driver” “It was the last quarter of the championship game and the other side was ahead. Our boys had the ball. We made a touchdown and tied it up. The crowd went crazy. Only one minute to go and they fumbled – our quarterback recovered – he was about a yard from the goal when – zap – no more quarterback – completely gone, just like that!” Late Great Planet Earth, p.125
Recommendations We recommend that airlines employ only non-Christian pilots to fly their planes, so that in the event of a Rapture the plane can continue on without killing all the other non-Christians on board. In like manner, for the same reason, no Christian should ever drive a car with unsaved members of the family in the car, just in case an imminent Rapture takes place and the family all gets killed. -The Rapture of Christians, Bray
Jews Will Dominate “The dispensationalists believe that the Jews will be re-gathered into the land of Palestine. Some believe that they will be re-gathered before Jesus comes, and others believe they will be re-gathered after He comes…that during the Millennium there will be a Temple in existence…there will be inaugurated once again the old Jewish sacrifices…the Jews will be dominate over the rest of the world” Dispensationalism versus the Bible, Bray.
Rev. 6:9-11; 20:4-5 Contrast under the altar – defeat and sitting on thrones – victory of cause Does not Mention The second coming of Christ A reign of Christ on earth The city of Jerusalem, nor a temple Animal sacrifices, nor Jews. Bray, The Millennium, p. 12
Conclusion Revelation was given to assure those persecuted that their cause would be victorious. Christ is reigning over His kingdom and at the end He will deliver the kingdom to God the Father, 1 Cor. 15:24.